Danielle Wheeler claims wards undemocratic

Council elections will be held on September 10. On the same day people will be asked to vote in a referendum on whether to move to a wards system in the following Council.

Ms Wheeler said the electorate at large did not understand what they would be voting on, and accused the Council of not doing enough to inform them.

“We are asking people to vote on something they don't have enough information for,” she said.

Ms Wheeler said people did not even know how the wards would look.

“We've been door knocking, and I would say roughly two of 10 would know there is an election on and no one knows there is a referendum,” she said.

One of the arguments for wards is that councillors would be closer to the people who elect them.

However, Ms Wheeler said she felt wards were undemocratic, and favoured candidates and parties who were flush with money.

She added the system meant twelve councillors would vote on issues affecting a ward, but the people in the ward could only potentially throw out four of them.

Hawkesbury Council general manager Laurie Mifsud said Council had done a number of things to advertise the referendum.

“Council has placed advertising regarding the Constitutional Referendum on Wards with explanatory material, alternately in the Hawkesbury Gazette and Hawkesbury Courier newspapers weekly from 10 August through to 7 September,” he said.

“The matter has been highlighted in Mayoral columns in print and online.

“The Constitutional Referendum is also highlighted as a major feature on Council’s homepage with explanatory information provided via a link.

“Flyers are also available at Council’s Administrative Building.”